WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS, POVERTY ALLEVIATION AND SUSTAINABLE

DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA.

AKPANOBONG, UYAI EMMANUEL & USORO ENOBONG BURMA

DEPARTMENT OF VOCATIONAL EDUCATIONFACULTY OF EDUCATION

UNIVERSITY OF UYOAKWA IBOM STATE - NIGERIA

OVERVIEWINTRODUCTION•Who is a Woman Entrepreneur?•The contributions of Women Entrepreneur in Poverty Alleviation• Factors militating against Women Entrepreneur and sustainable development

METHODOLOGY•Data Analysis & Result – Research Question 1•Data Analysis & Result - Question 2•Hypothesis 1•Hypothesis 2

DISCUSSION OF FINDINGSCONCLUSIONRECOMMENDATIONS

The Nigerian women entrepreneurs are unique in their contributions towards poverty alleviation and sustainable development of the country, given their central roles both at home and the national economy.

BACKGROUND

INTRODUCTION

A woman entrepreneur is defined as “the female head of a business who has taken the initiative of launching a new venture, who is accepting the associated risks and the financial, administrative and social responsibilities, and who is effectively in-charge of its day-to day management” (Lavoie, 2005:17). She is an owner-manager of a business concern.

Who is a Woman Entrepreneur?

The Contributions of Women Entrepreneur in Poverty Alleviation

1 What are the contributions of women entrepreneurs to poverty alleviation and sustainable national development?

Improve Family incomeImprove standard of livingImprove family healthImprove nutritionMore employment opportunityIncreased Gross Domestic ProductsAvailability of more goods and servicesIncrease in internally generated revenueHigh level of patriotismDecrease in unemployment

2 What are the factors militating against the success of women entrepreneurs in Nigeria

•Poor finances, start – up capital•Low career entry expectations•Lack of entrepreneurial experience•Poor education•Legal problems•Poor motivation•Household chores•High level of competition•Relations with clients and employees•Marketing problems

METHODOLOGY

The population consisted of 1120 women entrepreneurs in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria.

The stratified random sampling technique was used based on the six states in the region.

A sample of 120 (67 experienced and 53 inexperienced) women entrepreneurs were used in the study.

Two null hypotheses were formulated based on the variables in the study. Mean was used to answer the research questions and the hypotheses were tested at 0.05 alpha level, using t-test analysis.

Data collection was done with the use of a structured questionnaire tagged “Women Entrepreneurs and National Development” (WEND).

The instrument was duly validated and pilot-tested with a reliability coefficient of 0.73.

Data Analysis & Result – Research Question 1

Research Question 1

S/N Contributions of women entrepreneurs to poverty alleviation and sustainable national development

Experienced women

entrepreneurs

Inexperienced women

entrepreneursMeans Ranking Means Ranking

1. Improved family income 3.7 2nd 3.6 2nd

2. Improved standard of living 3.6 3rd 3.5 3rd 3. Improved family health 3.5 4th 3.4 4th

4. Improved family nutrition 3.2 6th 3.2 6th

5. More employment opportunities 3.1 7th 3.1 7th

6. Increased Gross Domestic product 2.7 8th 2.9 8th

7. Availability of more goods and services 3.8 1st 3.7 1st

8. Increased in internally generated revenue

2.6 9th 2.7 9th

9. High level of patriotism 2.4 10th 2.4 10th

10. Decrease in unemployment 3.3 5th 3.3 5th

Table 1:Weighted Means and Ranking of the Contributions of Women

Entrepreneurs to Poverty Alleviation and Sustainable Development in Nigeria.

Cut off point = 2.5

Table one indicates agreement between the experienced and inexperienced women entrepreneurs in their ranking of the contributions of women entrepreneurs to poverty alleviation and sustainable development of Nigeria.

• Availability of more goods and services ranked first by both followed by: •Improved family income, •Improved standard of living,•High level of patriotism is ranked last by the two groups of respondents with weighted means of 2.4.

Table 1 cont.

Research Question 2

Table 2:Weighted means and ranking of factors militating against the success of women entrepreneurs in

Nigeria

S/N Factors militating against the success of women entrepreneurs in Nigeria

Experienced women entrepreneurs

Inexperienced women

entrepreneurs

Means Ranking Means Ranking

1. Poor finance/start-up capital 3.9 1st 3.8 1st

2. Low career entry expectation 3.7 2nd 3.7 2nd

3. Lack of entrepreneurial experience 3.3 6th 3.2 6th

4. Poor education 2.8 7th 2.6 8th

5. Legal problems 3.6 3rd 35 3rd

6. Poor motivation 3.4 5th 3.3 5th

7. Household chores 2.6 8th 2.8 7th

8. High level of competition 3.5 4th 3.4 4th

9. Relations with clients and employees 2.2 10th 2.1 10th

10. Marketing problems 2.3 9th 2.4 9th

Cut off point = 2.5

The respondents in table two generally agree in their ranking of the factors militating against the success of women entrepreneurs in Nigeria poor finance/start-up capital is ranked first by both respondents followed by

•Low career entry expectation, •Legal problems, •High level of competition and lastly •Relations with clients and employees.

Table 2 cont.

Table 3:Weighted means and t-test of the responses of experienced and inexperienced women entrepreneurs regarding their contributions to poverty alleviation and

sustainable national development

S/N Contributions of women entrepreneurs to poverty alleviation

and sustainable national development

Means t-value Remarks

Expe-rienced

Inexpe-rienced

1. Improved family income 3.7 3.6 0.97 NS

2. Improved standard of living 3.6 3.5 1.52 NS

3. Improved family health 3.5 3.4 1.01 NS

4. Improved family nutrition 3.2 3.2 1.04 NS

5. More employment opportunities 3.1 3.1 1.06 NS

6. Increased Gross Domestic product 2.7 2.9 1.11 NS

7. Availability of more goods and services

3.8 3.7 0.94 NS

8. Increased in internally generated revenue

2.6 2.7 1.66 NS

9. High level of patriotism 2.4 2.4 1.47 NS

10. Decrease in unemployment 3.3 3.3 1.32 NS

N1 = 67; N2 = 53; df = 118; t-cri = 1.96; Average t-cal = 1.21; S = Significant; NS = Not Significant

Indicates no significant difference in the mean responses of the women entrepreneurs in all their identified contributions to poverty alleviation and sustainable development of Nigeria, with t-values less than the critical t-values of 1.96.

•The null hypothesis was therefore retained.

Table 3 cont.

Table 4:Weighted mean and t-test of the responses of experienced and inexperienced

women entrepreneurs regarding factors militating against the success of women entrepreneurs in Nigeria

S/NFactors militating against the success of

women entrepreneurs in Nigeria

Means t-value Remarks

Experienced Inexpe-rienced

1. Poor finance/start-up capital 3.9 3.8 0.99 NS

2. Low career entry expectation 3.7 3.7 1.01 NS

3. Lack of entrepreneurial experience 3.3 3.2 1.11 NS

4. Poor education 2.8 2.6 1.21 NS

5. Legal problems 3.6 35 1.06 NS

6. Poor motivation 3.4 3.3 1.03 NS

7. Household chores 2.6 2.8 1.19 NS

8. High level of competition 3.5 3.4 1.01 NS

9. Relations with clients and employees 2.2 2.1 1.51 NS

10. Marketing problems 2.3 2.4 1.82 NS

N1 = 67; N2 = 53; df = 118; t-cri = 1.96; Average t-cal = 1.19; S = Significant; NS = Not Significant

Table 4 cont.

Table four shows no significant difference in the mean responses of the experienced and inexperienced women entrepreneurs regarding problems militating against the success of women entrepreneurs in Nigeria.

The t-values in all the identified items were less than the critical t-values leading to the retention of the null hypothesis.

DISCUSSION OF FINDINGSData analysis in hypothesis one indicated no significant difference in the mean responses of both the experienced and inexperienced women entrepreneurs regarding their contributions to poverty alleviation and sustainable development of Nigeria. The calculated t-values in all the identified contributions were less than the critical t-value of 1.96. This led to the retention of the null hypothesis.

This implies that Nigerian women entrepreneurs contribute significantly to poverty alleviation and sustainable national development.

This finding is confirmed in research question one with the mean values of the groups being above the cut-off point of 2.5.

The finding is supported by the works of other researchers. (Adeyemi 2007 & Birley 2009) who jointly agreed that Nigerian women are:

•Enthusiastic•Hardworking•And contribute meaningfully to sustainable national development

DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS – cont.The analysis in hypothesis two revealed no significant difference in the mean responses of both the experienced and inexperienced women entrepreneurs regarding the problems faced by women entrepreneurs in Nigeria. The calculated t-values in all the identified contributions were less than the critical t-value of 1.96. This led to the retention of the null hypothesis.

This implies that Nigerian women entrepreneurs are confronted with series of problems militating against their entrepreneurial success. This finding is confirmed in research question two with the mean values of the two groups of respondent being above the cut-off point of 2.5.

The finding is in line with Leo-Gosselin and Grise (2000). The scholars discovered the problems facing women entrepreneurs in Nigeria to include •lack of confidence by banks•Marketing problem with associates and clients.

As observed by McGrath (2007), women have more difficulties in getting loans, hence have to finance their businesses with difficulties and prejudice. Besides financial problems, other problems faced by women entrepreneurs in Nigeria include•poor education,•family problems and •lack of business experience - (Thompson, 2007).

These tend to slow down the rate of their entrepreneurial success and contributions to national development.

CONCLUSIONWomen entrepreneurs contribute significantly to poverty alleviation and sustainable development of Nigeria by creating employment and contributing to household and national income.

Also a number of problems are encountered by Nigerian women entrepreneur. These include :

•Poor finance,•Low career entry•Entry expectation•Poor education•Lack of entrepreneurial experience•Poor motivation•High level of competition and•Family problems.

RECOMMENDATIONS

•More Nigerian women should be encouraged to undertake entrepreneurial activities.

•They should be motivated through appropriate legislations, incentives and empowerment.

•Nigerian women who have identified themselves in entrepreneurship should be given recognition and honoured in order to encourage others.

•Appropriate legislations should be made to safeguard and protect women entrepreneurs in the country.

•Problems militating against the success of women entrepreneurs in Nigeria should be given adequate attention with a view to reducing such problems.

•Financial institutions should be made to develop confidence in women entrepreneurs and attend to their needs for credit facilities.

THE END